“PHANTOM OF THE OPERA”

Local 802 has settled a long-standing grievance concerning a premium payment for holiday matinees that fall on a Monday.

The grievance relates to a matinee performance of “Phantom of the Opera” on Dec. 26, 2005.

Producers argued that the premium payment was not due because the actual holiday was Christmas Day, but many musicians believed that this had been paid in the past on Monday, Dec. 26.

Ultimately the producers offered to pay the musicians involved an additional scale payment of one-half of one performance in return for clarified language.

Unfortunately, in the process of researching the past practice, no evidence of premium payments in similar situations was discovered; moreover, no claim was made in a timely fashion for other shows that played a matinee on the same date, or for a matinee at “Phantom” on Jan. 1, 2006.

The orchestra at “Phantom” therefore voted to accept the settlement offered, as did the Theatre Committee and the Executive Board.